Yakima County Fire District #5

05/04/2026

04/19/2026

Finishing out Telecommunicator Week 2026 is our Dispatch Supervisor Karla Hernandez! Karla's favorite way to unwind or decompress after a difficult shift is to spend time outdoors going camping, hiking or kayaking now that the weather is getting nicer. If it's with a good book it's even better for her! Her go-to, binge watch TV series is *Grace and Frankie.* She thinks she has probably watched it at least a dozen times. Karla also re-watches all of the Harry Potter movies every year with her son near the holidays. It's their little annual tradition! What Karla loves most about serving the community is helping find solutions when people are having a bad day. Knowing we can't necessarily fix a situation but we can send them help in their time of need is one of the things she loves the most! Thank you for your work as our supervisor and for being part of our team!

04/18/2026

Telecommunicator Week 2026 continues with Dispatcher Heather Hinze. Heather's favorite way to unwind is to be home with her people; her husband, kids, and grandchildren. Her husband understands the ins and outs of her job completely and is there for Heather to shed the weight of her day. When she is home alone or on graveyard shifts, Heather really likes to find a good documentary, preferably historical, or a limited series from other countries (even with captions). She also enjoys crime documentaries, obviously. Heather has been in this career field for nine years. This field of work/service never even crossed her mind until unfortunate life events happened. While this job brings its own unique trauma, it has also allowed her to process and heal from her own previous trauma. Heather believes that is key in her case to being able to relate to and assist those who call during their worst moments. Heather also has one dog—for now. He is a five-year-old white Dogo Argentino with one brown eyebrow. It’s the cutest thing and gets him all kinds of attention at the vet's office. He’s a very spoiled boy. Thank you Heather for being part of our team!

04/17/2026

In the last 48 hours, we have responded to seven structure fires across our Fire District.

That number is not normal. It is a reminder of how fast things can change, and how small oversights can lead to major loss.

One concern we are continuing to see is the use of exterior heaters inside sheds and outbuildings. These spaces often contain fuel, equipment, and other combustible materials that can ignite quickly. If you are using a heater in these areas, make sure it is on a stable, non-combustible surface, has proper clearance on all sides, and is never left running unattended. When in doubt, don’t use it.

We are incredibly proud of and grateful for our career staff, volunteers, and dispatchers who have worked around the clock to respond to these incidents and protect our community. Their commitment does not go unnoticed.

We also want to thank our automatic aid partners at Sunnyside Fire Department for their continued support and teamwork during this busy period. Their direct efforts resulted in a quick knockdown of a kitchen fire effectively saving the structure.

Our mutual aid partners with the Toppen*sh Fire Department also recently assisted us with a shop fire, which was thankfully contained to a restroom due to a quick response. Strong partnerships make a difference when it matters most.

Please take a few minutes today to look around your property and reduce your fire risk. Those few minutes could save your home, your belongings, or even a life.

04/16/2026

Next up this week is Dispatcher Nancy Ochoa! To decompress after a difficult shift, Nancy takes some quiet time to herself and perhaps takes a nap while she's at it. A good nap is peak self care. Nancy binge watches Seinfeld like it's her job! She has been an Emergency Dispatcher for 19 years, Thirteen years dispatching for Law Enforcement and six years for Fire District 5. Nancy has a 6 year old mini Dachshund named Maya Rose who also answers to Maya Lou, Papaya, Mayita and Maya Lou Kazoo. She has 4 pets total: Bear, a Rottweiler; Maya and Ruby (short for Rubeus Hagrid), both female mini Dachshunds; and Mary Jane an Amazon Parrot. Nancy's favorite part of her career is the sigh of relief from her Spanish speaking callers or counter contacts when they realize they can comfortably speak to her and rest assured they were understood. Thank you Nancy for being part of our team!

04/15/2026

Starting off this week is our Dispatcher of the Year Sheyanne Peters! Sheyanne was nominated by her peers for her work training dispatchers, creating training materials and always having new ideas to help our new dispatchers learn.

Sheyanne has nearly six years of dispatch experience, including two years at SECOMM and almost four with Fire District 5. When she's not at work, Sheyanne is spending time "carpet farming" with her three-year-old, seeing the world through his eyes with a whole new sense of excitement, or helping her husband on the farm—often as the parts runner or lunch delivery driver. At home, their two labs, Maci Jo and Baylor Grace, bring them endless joy (and the occasional headache). What she loves the most about this job is being there for people when they feel like they have nowhere else to turn—reminding them that there is still hope. Every day, she strives to be the kind of dispatcher that responders can count on, knowing that when they see her name in the call comments, she'll do everything she can to support them and help get everyone home safe. While some days are harder than others, it’s an incredibly rewarding career, knowing that even helping one person or making someone feel less alone on their worst day truly matters. Congratulations Sheyanne and thank you for your work!

04/13/2026

On the other side of this door is the next step in the dispatch of emergencies for our customer fire and EMS agencies in Yakima County and beyond, once the 911 call is received. Fire District #5's Valley Fire Communications dispatches over 18,000 calls a year for 18 different agencies. Follow along this week to learn more about our dispatchers and their new home! Happy Telecommunicator Week 2026!

04/08/2026

After 45 years in the fire service—28 of those years as a proud career member—Chief Ken Shipman will be stepping away from Yakima County Fire District 5. His last day of service will be September 30, 2026. The decision to retire was not an easy one. In fact, it may be the most difficult decision of his career, because this district, its people, and the community it serves have meant so much to him.

Throughout his career, Chief Shipman helped guide Yakima County Fire District 5 through some of its most important milestones. Under his leadership, the district successfully passed the first bond in its history—an achievement that strengthened the future of fire and emergency services for our community. That support made it possible to modernize fire stations, invest in new apparatus, and ensure our members have the resources they need to serve safely and effectively.

But while buildings and equipment are important, Chief Shipman has always said the true heart of the district is its people.

For him, the greatest privilege of his career has been the opportunity to work alongside the dedicated men and women of Yakima County Fire District 5—people who answer the call day and night, who serve with courage, professionalism, and compassion. Being part of that team, and helping support the mission of protecting this community, has been the honor of a lifetime.

Chief Shipman’s legacy will not only be measured in stations built or apparatus placed in service, but in the culture of commitment, pride, and service that he helped strengthen within the district.

On behalf of Yakima County Fire District 5 and the community we proudly serve, we thank Chief Ken Shipman for 45 remarkable years of service, leadership, and dedication.

Congratulations on your retirement, Chief. Your impact on this district and this community will be felt for generations.

04/04/2026

This morning, six members of our team completed the Wildland Firefighter Pack Test, a rigorous assessment of their physical preparedness. The test requires a 3-mile walk to be completed in 45 minutes or less while carrying a 45-pound pack, ensuring our personnel meet the demanding standards required for wildland firefighting operations.

Maintaining this qualification is essential to our ability to respond effectively to state mobilizations, where resources from across Washington are deployed to support large-scale incidents. This capability also enables us to provide continued support to our valued partners at Yakama Nation Fire Management, enhancing our regional response capabilities and collaborative efforts to protect our communities and natural resources.

04/03/2026

When the communities we serve came together to support our bond measure in 2023 to support renovating fire stations and adding new apparatus, we quickly started to deliver on those promises. 11 of our new 12 apparatus are out serving our communities. And this week we started having 24 hour coverage in one of our newly renovated fire stations, something that simply was not possible before. This is your investment at work. This is what community looks like and this is what we can accomplish when we stand together. From everyone at Yakima County Fire District 5, thank you for believing in us, we’re honored to serve you.

01/10/2026

Yakima County Fire District 5 firefighters are putting in the work during live-fire training with our Fireblast Global car fire prop. This hands-on training allows our members to practice real-world tactics, improve their recognition of fire behavior, and build confidence in a controlled, safe environment.

Training like this ensures our firefighters are prepared to protect our communities when it matters most.

Want to be part of this team?
Yakima County Fire District 5 is always looking for motivated individuals who want to serve their community, learn valuable skills, and be part of something bigger than themselves. No experience required, training is provided.

Visit our website at www.ycfd5.org or message us to learn more about becoming a volunteer firefighter with YCFD5.